heidi-第39章

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〃Can　you　come　out　with　me　to…day？〃　he　asked；　evidently　unwilling　to　hear　her　refuse。

〃I　am　afraid　I　cannot；　Peter；〃　she　answered。　〃I　am　expecting　them　every　minute　from　Frankfurt；　and　I　must　be　at　home　when　they　come。〃

〃You　have　said　the　same　thing　for　days　now；〃　grumbled　Peter。

〃I　must　continue　to　say　it　till　they　come；〃　replied　Heidi。　〃How　can　you　think；　Peter；　that　I　would　be　away　when　they　came？　As　if　I　could　do　such　a　thing？〃

〃They　would　find　Uncle　at　home；〃　he　answered　with　a　snarling　voice。

But　at　this　moment　the　grandfather's　stentorian　voice　was　heard。　〃Why　is　the　army　not　marching　forward？　Is　it　the　field…marshal　who　is　missing　or　some　of　the　troops？〃

Whereupon　Peter　turned　and　went　off；　swinging　his　stick　round　so　that　it　whistled　through　the　air；　and　the　goats；　who　understood　the　signal；　started　at　full　trot　for　their　mountain　pasture；　Peter　following　in　their　wake。

Since　Heidi　had　been　back　with　her　grandfather　things　came　now　and　then　into　her　mind　of　which　she　had　never　thought　in　former　days。　So　now；　with　great　exertion；　she　put　her　bed　in　order　every　morning；　patting　and　stroking　it　till　she　had　got　it　perfectly　smooth　and　flat。　Then　she　went　about　the　room　downstairs；　put　each　chair　back　in　its　place；　and　if　she　found　anything　lying　about　she　put　it　in　the　cupboard。　After　that　she　fetched　a　duster；　climbed　on　a　chair；　and　rubbed　the　table　till　it　shone　again。　When　the　grandfather　came　in　later　he　would　look　round　well　pleased　and　say　to　himself；　〃We　look　like　Sunday　every　day　now；　Heidi　did　not　go　abroad　for　nothing。〃

After　Peter　had　departed　and　she　and　her　grandfather　had　breakfasted；　Heidi　began　her　daily　work　as　usual；　but　she　did　not　get　on　with　it　very　fast。　It　was　so　lovely　out　of　doors　to…day；　and　every　minute　something　happened　to　interrupt　her　in　her　work。　Now　it　was　a　bright　beam　of　sun　shining　cheerfully　through　the　open　window；　and　seeming　to　say；　〃Come　out；　Heidi；　come　out！〃　Heidi　felt　she　could　not　stay　indoors；　and　she　ran　out　in　answer　to　the　call。　The　sunlight　lay　sparkling　on　everything　around　the　hut　and　on　all　the　mountains　and　far　away　along　the　valley；　and　the　grass　slope　looked　so　golden　and　inviting　that　she　was　obliged　to　sit　down　for　a　few　minutes　and　look　about　her。　Then　she　suddenly　remembered　that　her　stool　was　left　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　and　that　the　table　had　not　been　rubbed；　and　she　jumped　up　and　ran　inside　again。　But　it　was　not　long　before　the　fir　trees　began　their　old　song；　Heidi　felt　it　in　all　her　limbs；　and　again　the　desire　to　run　outside　was　irresistible；　and　she　was　off　to　play　and　leap　to　the　tune　of　the　waving　branches。　The　grandfather；　who　was　busy　in　his　work…shed；　stepped　out　from　time　to　time　smiling　to　watch　her　at　her　gambols。　He　had　just　gone　back　to　his　work　on　one　of　these　occasions　when　Heidi　called　out；　〃Grandfather！　grandfather！　Come；　come！〃

He　stepped　quickly　out；　almost　afraid　something　had　happened　to　the　child；　but　he　saw　her　running　towards　where　the　mountain　path　descended；　crying；　〃They　are　coming！　they　are　coming！　and　the　doctor　is　in　front　of　them！〃

Heidi　rushed　forward　to　welcome　her　old　friend；　who　held　out　his　hands　in　greeting　to　her。　When　she　came　up　to　him　she　clung　to　his　outstretched　arm；　and　exclaimed　in　the　joy　of　her　heart；　〃Good…morning；　doctor；　and　thank　you　ever　so　many　times。〃

〃God　bless　you；　child！　what　have　you　got　to　thank　me　for？〃　asked　the　doctor；　smiling。

〃For　being　at　home　again　with　grandfather；〃　the　child　explained。

The　doctor's　face　brightened　as　if　a　sudden　ray　of　sunshine　had　passed　across　it；　he　had　not　expected　such　a　reception　as　this。　Lost　in　the　sense　of　his　loneliness　he　had　climbed　the　mountain　without　heeding　how　beautiful　it　was　on　every　side；　and　how　more　and　more　beautiful　it　became　the　higher　he　got。　He　had　quite　thought　that　Heidi　would　have　forgotten　him；　she　had　seen　so　little　of　him；　and　he　had　felt　rather　like　one　bearing　a　message　of　disappointment；　anticipating　no　great　show　of　favor；　coming　as　he　did　without　the　expected　friends。　But　instead；　here　was　Heidi；　her　eyes　dancing　for　joy；　and　full　of　gratitude　and　affection；　clinging　to　the　arm　of　her　kind　friend。

He　took　her　by　the　hand　with　fatherly　tenderness。

〃Take　me　now　to　your　grandfather；　Heidi；　and　show　me　where　you　live。〃

But　Heidi　still　remained　standing；　looking　down　the　path　with　a　questioning　gaze。　〃Where　are　Clara　and　grandmother？〃　she　asked。

〃Ah；　now　I　have　to　tell　you　something　which　you　will　be　as　sorry　about　as　I　am；〃　answered　the　doctor。　〃You　see；　Heidi；　I　have　come　alone。　Clara　was　very　ill　and　could　not　travel；　and　so　the　grandmother　stayed　behind　too。　But　next　spring；　when　the　days　grow　warm　and　long　again；　they　are　coming　here　for　certain。〃

Heidi　was　greatly　concerned；　she　could　not　at　first　bring　herself　to　believe　that　what　she　had　for　so　long　been　picturing　to　herself　was　not　going　to　happen　after　all。　She　stood　motionless　for　a　second　or　two；　overcome　by　the　unexpected　disappointment。　The　doctor　said　nothing　further；　all　around　lay　the　silence；　only　the　sighing　of　the　fir　trees　could　be　heard　from　where　they　stood。　Then　Heidi　suddenly　remembered　why　she　had　run　down　there；　and　that　the　doctor　had　really　come。　She　lifted　her　eyes　and　saw　the　sad　expression　in　his　as　he　looked　down　at　her；　she　had　never　seen　him　with　that　look　on　his　face　when　she　was　in　Frankfurt。　It　went　to　Heidi's　heart；　she　could　not　bear　to　see　anybody　unhappy；　especially　her　dear　doctor。　No　doubt　it　was　because　Clara　and　grandmother　could　not　come；　and　so　she　began　to　think　how　best　she　might　console　him。

〃Oh；　it　won't　be　very　long　to　wait　for　spring；　and　then　they　will　be　sure　to　come；〃　she　said　in　a　reassuring　voice。　〃Time　passes　very　quickly　with　us；　and　then　they　will　be　able　to　stay　longer　when　they　are　here；　and　Clara　will　be　pleased　at　that。　Now　let　us　go　and　find　grandfather。〃

Hand　in　hand　with　her　friend　she　climbed　up　to　the　hut。　She　was　so　anxious　to　make　the　doctor　happy　again　that　she　began　once　more　assuring　him　that　the　winter　passed　so　quickly　on　the　mountain　that　it　was　hardly　to　be　taken　account　of；　and　that　summer　would　be　back　again　before　they　knew　it；　and　she　became　so　convinced　of　the　truth　of　her　own　words　that　she　called　out　quite　cheerfully　to　her　grandfather　as　they　approached；　〃They　have　not　come　to…day；　but　they　will　be　here　in　a　very　short　time。〃

The　doctor　was　no　stranger　to　the　grandfather；　for　the　child　had　talked　to　him　so　much　about　her　friend。　The　old　man　held　out　his　hand　to　his　guest　in　friendly　greeting。　Then　the　two　men　sat　down　in　front　of　the　hut；　and　Heidi　had　her　little　place　too；　for　the　doctor　beckoned　her　to　come　and　sit　beside　him。　The　doctor　told　Uncle　how　Herr　Sesemann　had　insisted　on　his　taking　this　journey；　and　he　felt　himself　it　would　do　him　good　as　he　had　not　been　quite　the　thing　for　a　long　time。　Then　he　whispered　to　Heidi　that　there　was　something　being　brought　up　the　mountain　which　had　travelled　with　him　from　Frankfurt；　and　which　would　give　her　even　more　pleasure　than　seeing　the　old　doctor。　Heidi　got　into　a　great　state　of　excitement　on　hearing　this；　wondering　what　it　could　be；　The　old　man　urged　the　doctor　to　spend　as　many　of　the　beautiful　autumn　days　on　the　mountain　as　he　could；　and　at　least　to　come　up　whenever　it　was　fine；　lie　could　not　offer　him　a　lodging；　as　he　had　no　place　to　put　him；　he　advised　the　doctor；　however；　not　to　go　back　to　Ragatz；　but　to　stay　at　Dorfli；　where　there　was　a　clean　tidy　little　inn。　Then　the　doctor　could　come　up　every　morning；　which　would　do　him　no　end　of　good；　and　if　he　liked；　he；　the　grandfather；　would　act　as　his　guide　to　any　part　of　the　mountains　he　would　like　to　see。　The　doctor　was　delighted　with　this　proposal；　and　it　was　settled　that　it　should　be　as　the　grandfather　suggested。

Meanwhile　the　sun　had　been　climbing　up　the　sky；　and　it　was　now　noon。　The　wind　had　sunk　and　the　fir　trees　stood　motionless。　The　air　was　still　wonderfully　warm　and　mild　for　that　height；　while　a　delicious　freshness　was　mingled　with　the　warmth　of　the　sun。

Alm…Uncle　now　rose　and　went　indoors；　returning　in　a　few　minutes　with　a　table　which　he　placed　in　front　of　the　seat。

〃There；　Heidi；　now　run　in　and　bring　us　what　we　want　for　the　ta